American Home Shield (AHS)
Home Warranty Plan Details and Reviews for American Home Shield (AHS)
Premium: $360
Deductible: $60
Effective: Immediately after payment
Web: ahswarranty.com
Deductible: $60
Effective: Immediately after payment
Web: ahswarranty.com
Customer Service 
Service Timeliness
Repair/Replacement Service
Overall Rating
Total Reviews: 626 Rate this Company!
Service Timeliness
Repair/Replacement Service
Overall Rating
Total Reviews: 626 Rate this Company!
Coverage Area: USA - All States
Offers plans to cover pre-existing conditions and lack of maintenance repairs, for an additional fee.
| Home warranty is a complex insurance product. Unlike home insurance, it does not provide blanket coverage for all appliances. Pre-existing conditions and problems resulting from lack of maintenance of appliance are are generally not covered by home warranty companies. Home warranty sellers may not state these factors clearly, and this will create dissatisfaction among customers. Due to these factors, you will see many negative reviews here. Don't be intimidated by some negative reviews here. If you have maintained your appliances in good condition and go with a reputed home warranty provider, your coverage will be fine. |
We do not endorse any company in particular, however you should ignore the reviews that are overly negative or positive. Such reviews are not likely to offer a balanced view and some of them could be fake reviews posted to promote or demote a company. It is always a good idea to check BBB ratings and make sure the company is licensed to do business in your State by contacting State Insurance Commission. Try to avoid paying annual premium and keep your cancellation rights
I would not recommend this company. They are not interested in fixing your problem just putting a band aid on it. It’s bad when the repair guy says not to use them!
In our opinion, AHS contracts sub-par repair personnel. An air conditioning compressor took nearly three weeks to get repaired, and with the additional fees added, we could have it repaired ourselves for about $100 more (which would have been worth it, given the time it took). The repair person was surly and did not communicate with us except when we complained to AHS. Further, he outright lied at least twice, first stating that he would call the repair order in on the day he diagnosed it (he did not turn in the repair order for an additional five days…only after we called to check). Then he said that the part had been shipped elsewhere, which also turned out to be untrue. The AHS personnel were of little help as well, stating that we were moved down the list since it wasn’t “an emergency”; however, they would not clarify their definition of emergency. Evidently, a unit that is inoperable doesn’t qualify. GO ELSEWHERE FOR A HOME WARRANTY SERVICE! We will not be renewing.
The best one that I know about is American Home Shield. This company is based in Iowa. They sell through local real estate agents and some insurance agents. From personal experience, i.e. I have had them covering my home for over 8 years & I sell their warranties. They do come through for you. Look over the coverage carefully and realize that there is a small deductible. Also another advantage is that they call in the licensed & insured plumber, electrician, appliance repairperson, etc. so that you don’t have to look for one.
I do not plan to renew with this company. After our air conditioning unit developed a water leak, American Home Shield sent out two a/c companies and a plumber, each of whom said it was an a/c problem or a plumbing problem. None of them wanted to take responsibility and American Home Shield would not intervene.
After three months of delay, we hired our own a/c company who said it was in fact an a/c problem (a leaky drip pan) and opined that the other firms either misdiagnosed the problem or simply didn’t want to do the work for the money they get from American Home Shield.
When we tried to get American Home Shield to pay for the repairs done to the a/c unit by our a/c company, the company said it was a pre-existing plumbing problem for which it were not responsible. Based on that poor performance, we decided not to renew with American Home Shield.
Pretty much exactly what Philip C had to go through. I actually also had problems with a light fixture as well. My issue is not that it was not covered, but the fact that it took about 3 months/4 contractors to finally tell me that the fixture was the issue, and that it woudl not be covered. In the end, it cost me only $150 to repair it on my own.
I like American Home Shield, they helped me and my wife when we had a dryer go bad. Upon getting a new dryer we were able to upgrade to the one we liked, we paid the difference of the upgrade and it still saved us a lot of money.
I called them regarding my washer, which backed up into my tub, and they said it was covered. So, I paid 55 dollars and the first company farmed me out to a second, which sent a really young guy who dropped my toilet and didn’t fix the problem. They left a new leak, and, my plumbing backed up again, worse, now sewage all over the floor as they didn’t fix the toilet seal. I called the company and requested a different company as I didn’t even know who my provider really was and as I felt the second company was incompetent. They said I had no choice but to have the same company come again (but they were farming me out). The next time the kid scratched my walls and doors with his machine, the problem still was not fixed, and eventually all parties left me stranded, with major plumbing issues, all drains backing up instead of one, and said it was root damage. Told me I needed an outside cleanout for 2000. I gave up, called roto rooter, and they found a hidden outside cleanout!!! Now I have damaged walls but at least my plumbing works. I never got the 55 back.
Shortly after moving into our new home, we had the furnace checked as part of routine maintenance, and it was found that the heat exchanger was cracked, meaning that the furnace would need to be replaced. So we called AHS, who sent another company out. This guy couldn’t find the crack until we put him on the phone with the first guy.
We didn’t want the bottom-of-the-line furnace that we knew AHS would pay for, so we asked about a “cash out” option. Yes, they would do the cash-out option. Turns out, however, the amount they’ll pay is … $1000. Our question is: Where can you get a new furnace installed for $1000? We ended up installing a top-of-the-line Carrier, and it cost $5700.
When speaking to customer service people, it’s obvious that they relish telling you “It’s not covered,” or some other bad news. My advice: READ THE POLICY BEFORE YOU BUY. There must be a better plan somewhere.
This company was good, but as soon as I put in too many claims they didn’t renew my contract – and there weren’t many, I assure you. They never had to replace anything major. Typical insurance company – just want to collect premiums but won’t be there for the long run. They also dropped the ball in customer service several times, especially during some very hot days when all my air conditioner needed was refrigerant chemicals.
I’ve had similar issues with my A/C (I live in AZ). The A/C quit working July 3rd. I had to argue with the AHS rep to get them to submit it as an emergency. After about 20 minutes, they agreed. The tech came out July 4th…
He got my A/C working, but left my heater and manual fan inoperable. After three months, dozens of phone calls (me calling them, they never followed up with me), and three A/C companies, they finally fixed my unit so that the A/C, heater, and fan all worked properly.
Neither the warranty company nor the A/C companies EVER followed up with me–it was always me calling them to find out what was going on. The A/C companies kept scheduling the service calls with me (and even this usually required me to call them) but then not making it out when they said they would and never calling to cancel or reschedule.
Now we’re in winter and I go to use my heater… It doesn’t work. I call AHS to open a service call and explain to them the meriad of problems I’ve had with them not getting this problem fixed and the several companies that have come out to work on it… All they would say is that there’s only a “30 day” labor warranty.
So now I have to pay another service call fee for a problem that was created by one of their service companies and that has been ongoing since July.
To top that off, my heater is totally inoperable… They won’t submit this as an emergency. That makes me wonder what they consider an emergency–the heater doesn’t work and it’s just down right cold in my place at night. But that doesn’t meet their “emergency guidelines”. Go figure…
I will not be renewing with this company nor would I recommend that anyone use them… EVER!
AHS happens to be the worst for both customer service and the fact that many of there contract providers are probably the worst in the industry.
If you want to just flush money down the drain and never get any quality service in return then this is the company for you.
Not worth the hassel. I called for a plumbing issue,where the diverter cartridge in my bathtub totally disentagrated and parts flew everywhere from the force of the water. AHS sent a plumber from another town 30 miles away and is a virtual unknown entity (no listing in phone book). After being there for approximately 30 minutes, the plumber told me I had “missing parts” and that he knew AHS would deny my claim. He went outside to make the call to AHS. In the meantime I called customer service. While speaking with customer service, the plumber came back in and was still on the phone with the “denial” department. I asked to speak with them and began to explain my issue. I told the “denial” representative that the entire diverter popped out into my hand and that I could see water flowing from the water pipe into the gap between the pipe and the wall and that is probably where the missing parts went. The “denial” representative told me there was “NO WAY” I could have seen the water and the plumber stated “There is no gap in the wall. Well I was livid. Did they think me to be such an imbicile that I don’t know a four-inch gap when I see one? (can you say 2X4?) When I expressed my dissatisfaction to American Home Shield, they offered to send another unknown plumber from 40 miles away. I said there are a number of reputable plumbers in my town, why are you sending me unknown contractors from another town? After some BS answer, I, subsequently, requested cancellation of my agreement. Definitely not worth the hassel and confirms that it’s all a scam.
We have had AHS since we moved into the house. In that time we have had several issues that required service calls. We have had the water heater replaced. Plumber was out same day, ordered tank and brought it the next day and installed it. No problem, quick, professional. We had the air conditioner go out a couple of times in the middle of summer in GA! Tech came out at appointed time diagnosed the problem (ants in the condenser switch) got part and replaced it. Told me that normally this would not be covered but they did it anyway. This year we had the house inspected for sale and discovered that the furnace was leaking a little bit of gas (not dangerous but needed to be fix). The tech was great but he had problems getting the correct part from the part supplier. So while it took several days to get the system fixed the tech was always courteous and friendly, professional and concerned about my family being without heat. The company that came to fix the heater and the AC where from the same company and these issues was a year or more apart. The techs always called 20-30 mins ahead so we didnt have to sit at home for hours waiting on them. The one that worked on the heater, told us he wasnt running his heat until he got ours fixed. Stayed late a couple of nights trying to get the wrong parts from the supplier to work (up to 8pm). Overall, we have had good experience with them.
I think those that have had bad experiences are the ones that are going to be rating a company like this, most people who have good experiences are not going to go look for a place to post positive ratings.
After a year and a half of fighting with these people, I have decided to try to find a better company, thus I’m here.
AHS is the worst company I have ever had to deal with for any purpose!!! Customer service is horrible!!! They send out repariman that give false reports so they dont have to repair your belongings
The seller purchased the AHS home warranty contract as part of our home purchase/closing. I continued to renew the contract at approx. $400 per year. Into the third year one of our a/c units ceased to cool the air. It only circulated the air. We called AHS. They sent a repairman and he put additional freon in. The next day the same thing happened. We called AHS.
They sent someone to inspect the unit and told us the condensor unit needed to be replaced, but it was a pre-existing condition! They would do nothing further.
After four months of arguing with AHS and seeking assistance through the state Insurance Fraud division, I finally gave up and had to purchase a new unit. What could I do? It was now June in Florida. Four months of frustration. My only consolation was my decision not to renew the third year – saved $400.
THIS COMPANY WILL DO ANYTHING SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY… I HAD AN A/C PROBLEM THEY SENT SOME ONE OUT DAYS AFTER MY REQUEST HE CAME HE LOOKED AT IT FOR 2 SECONDS AND SAID I HAD A LEAK AND THEN SAID AHS WILL CALL. NEXT DAY THEY DID CALL AND SAID THAT THE SERVICE GUY SAID THE UNIT HAD LEAVES I IN IT AND WAS NOT MAINTAINED (WHICH IT WAS) AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING FOUGHT WITH THEM FOR WEEKS AGAIN DENIED CLAIM FOR TECH REASONS ASKED FOR ANOTHER COMPANY TO CHECK IT AND WAS DENIED. I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW A/C UNIT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET..
THIS IS A RIP OFF INSURANCE…DO NOT BUY IT I LEARNED THE HARD WAY…HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE….
My pipes sprang a leak under the house.
As covered by my warranty American Home Shield sent a plumber to repair. It took three days to repair.
Two days later the repair failed.
Original plumber said repair was good but new leak needed opened up 8 inches away and that 5 feet of pipe would have to be replaced.
American Home Shield sent another plumber out the next day.
New plumber said the original repair failed and that all cold water pipes under house would have to be replaced.
American Home Shield sent yet another plumber out the next day.
New plumber said the pipes under the house must be replaced.
American Home Shield has now said that the plumbers have told them that the pipes must be re-routed outside the foundation, which is not covered. THIS IS NOT TRUE IT IS A LIE.
The repair and/or replacement of leaking pipes under my house is specifically covered by my warranty and American Home Shield is refusing to honor their home warranty. Not to mention the fact that they are refusing to fix the failed repair that they had someone perform in the first place.
They also will not even let me speak to someone higher than a phone center individual to resolve this.
I only want them to honor the home warranty contract, which I have with them.
I honored my payments for this warranty why cant/wont they honor the contract that they wrote?
I always thought I picked the best Home Warranty Company. But you never know how good they are until something breaks. Had A water heater go out. Been with AHS for some 5 years. They sent a fly by night company to fix it. Never did. Complained to AHS. It seems they didn’t care. They never responded.
I have had both good and bad service from AHS. water heater they replaced in one trip no issues. For my pool pump I had to fight with them but they fixed it. They claimed they had looked at it in the past when the house was owned by someone else. At that time the repair company said the pump was not for the pool. I made them send someone out to inspect it again and they did the repair. plumping is always a issue and it ussually takes more then one trip at $55.00 each trip to fix. The warranty ussally pays for its self over the year for us.
I am a Real estate agent and I have been referring AHS to so many of my clients. My clients used to complain about AHS everytime, but I always gave benefit of doubt to AHS as I thought every company has their share of unhappy complaints. But when it struck me personally, I understood how bad their service was.
1. I had their service for all my rental properties. And everytime I call them for a problem, they deny the service either on grounds of lack of maintanenance or abnormal wear and tear. How do you define abnormal wear and tear and lack of maintenance?
The faucet of my bathroom went bad and AHS denied to repair. I asked for second opinion and paid out of my pocket and the second plumber could repair it in 10 minutes. All their contractor vendors are below par.
2. Recently I had a problem with A/C unit. The service technician reported that there was lack of maintenance and therefore has to be replaced and cannot be covered under AHS. I wanted to get a second opinion, but they don’t have any preferred vendor other than this guy in that area. So I paid separately to another vendor and he said that A/C unit is perfectly fine except that there is a leak that has to be fixed. AHS does not want to pay for the repairs, all they can do is lift the exclusion on A/C for future repairs.
All in all, pathetic company and service. So avoid it totally. So which Home warranty is a better one then? I don’t know, I am still trying with different ones and post my feedback on this website.
I had them for (2) years, first year was great, when my water heater went bad, it was replaced for Under $200; as you have to pay disposal fee. then this last year was terrible, my ac blower motor went bad, they sent a tech, he said he’d have to order it, he showed up one afternoon, without calling and my (20) yr old daughter was luckily home. he replaced motor with the WRONG one, it burnt up the next day, which was a saturday. AHS said only he could repair it, they left he him vm and faxes, he never responded. Come to find out he’s on vacation for (2) weeks…. they finally canceled him and got me another a/c company, they said furnace had to be replaced as a/c coil was leaking causing motor to short out. they then ordered replacement, i made an appt with them for the following week at 8am, they finally showed up at 2pm and then couldn’t get it finished by 6 and wanted me to wait AGAIN for (2) more days, as they other appts scheduled.
AHS hires anybody to do there work and when you call to complain, they promise everything and you get nothing.
Service technicians are inept and yes they do lie. Was losing power in kitchen. Call AHS for repair ASAP. This was a Friday night. Since whole house was not out of power it was not an emergency. Assigned me a company from Arizona. I live in VA. They had poor scheduling practices plus a bad rating with BBB. I requested another. Gave me another company which is not listed in any local phone book or website. Said the electrical problem was my power company’s problem. Nothing wrong in the house. Had power company look around outside. Found meter base to be bad, which AHS said is a covered part. The meter base was damaged when the power company employee tried to put the meter back in it. Home Shield denied coverage because power company broke it. Never mind the thing was corroded and leaked water when it rained. I could have been electocuted. They stuck by their technician and couldn’t have cared less what happaned. the technician didn’t tell the truth. To my knowledge there is no appeal process. I won’t be renewing. There’s got to be a better company out there.
Like a lot of the other reviewers, we got suckered into laying out a lot more than we should have–and Customer Service doesn’t exist (Customer DISservice is more appropriate). Unfortunately, we didn’t learn from our first experience, when they unjustly increased our premium, and got socked with unnecessary charges several times. We are out several years’ premiums, exorbitant upgrades and service fees. If you DO read the entire contract, you should be scared away instead of learning the hard way as we did. We DEFINITELY will not renew this contract — we already paid them too much.
We have had American Home Shield for at least 7 yrs now.
We had one positive washing machine experience claim at the beginning – then it went to horrible by the next need of their service – at least 3 years later.
We had a leaking water heater.
I called and was told it would be covered.
Like most people who purchase these warranty plans – it is because we ourselves are not knowledgeable in home repair enough to fix any of these type of things when they go wrong.
So the guy comes out, we pay the $65 and he says oh yes the water heater itself is covered – but the labor and parts to ‘bring it up to code’ would up the price over $500.
I could not accept that.
I told them no thanks – never mind: you are quoting way too high a price.
I called a friend and he bought the parts and labor he through in – and it all cost us under $160.
One part – a drip pan of sorts – they were trying to charge us an outrageous amount of money for the installation and the part – and the labor involved was simply setting this underneath the water heater and tightening a few screws and the part was purchased for around $20 at Home Depot!
I agree that they use sub par services and I am now shopping for a better plan.
The question is: Does one exist?…..
I had to call the president of the company and threaten to sue them to get the service I deserved. Recently, they screwed up the automatically billing tomy credit card an I found out I was not covered for lack of payment. They were not taking the payments from my credit card as they promised they would and I was unaware of it – as most people are about insurance until they need it.
We have had numerous claims from A.C to Pool equipment to plumbing and electrical. They always find a reason to never cover anything. I then have to pay someone else to make the repairs after paying their person $55. I strongly disagree with their decisions each time and once got a second opinion that did me no good. When I have items fixed I am told the reason they did not cover it was not correct. In 3 years they have done nothing for me and I am changing companies.
AHS was good about 10 yrs ago but their service has fallen. Now they quibble on warranty issues for items they should cover (tankless hot water heaters) and are even guilty of not paying contractors for work done because of insignificant paperwork requirements.
They’re definitely overpriced for what they provide.
This company has extremely unfriendly and unrelaiable contractors. After calling the company, we were given the contractor’s name and the contractor called us. One contractor refused to flex their schedule to come when we could be home. Another never even showed up after we waited at home many hours. Complaints to the warranty company went without response from the company!
I’ve had American Home Shield now for 11 years and it’s time to change. Each year, they are arguing more and more over charges for supposedly covered items. It’s just not worth it.
I read the above messages in horror….I live in San Antonio, Tx and I have had AHS for over 6 years. We haven’t had any problems, to date with AHS. They get service people out within one day (for non emergency)issues, and the contractors they send are good, for the most part. I do have some concerns over what they will and will not cover, however, and am going to research that further. Plumbing coverage seems to be ad hoc. I will probably need to replace my PRV and add an expansion tank to bring my system to code (In Texas) and they are telling me that is not covered. Yes, this is almost $600 a year of coverage and to NOT have things like this covered is absurd and robbery. On the other hand, when I did need something repaired it was nice to only have to pay $55. So, you definitely have to weight it and decide if you are getting a fair ROI. The thing to remember it is ‘insurance’. You pay for car insurance because it is there when you need it and you hope you never need it…but thus the definition of ‘insurance’. Having said that, it doesn’t excuse sending out inept technicians and having lousy customer service – I have yet to have those problems as well. I seem to get courteous CS reps and also quality service providers here in San Antonio.
Good luck trying to get a hold of a real person and when you do there’s no follow up.
A technician we hired had reported our HVAC unit to be DANGROUS and needing replacement. The semi-literate technician sent by AHS reported no problem with the unit. We called AHS to inquire about a second opinion. The AHS customer representative was surly, demeaning, and unresponsive. This is a bad company, and should be avoided
It is just hard to believe how bad these people are. Over the last several years I have had over fifty five contacts (visits, repairs, phone calls) trying to get them to actually fix my A/C systems. It is amazing what these slippery slimeballs will pull: numerous flat-out lies, outrageously inflated charges, made-up “code requirements”. The list goes on and on.
Andy C. posted on 7th November, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Customer Service: 2
Service Timeliness: 3
Repair or Replacement Service: 1
Overall Rating: 2
Shortly after moving into our new home, we had the furnace checked as part of routine maintenance, and it was found that the heat exchanger was cracked, meaning that the furnace would need to be replaced. So we called AHS, who sent another company out. This guy couldn’t find the crack until we put him on the phone with the first guy.
We didn’t want the bottom-of-the-line furnace that we knew AHS would pay for, so we asked about a “cash out” option. Yes, they would do the cash-out option. Turns out, however, the amount they’ll pay is … $1000. Our question is: Where can you get a new furnace installed for $1000? We ended up installing a top-of-the-line Carrier, and it cost $5700.
In response to your experience here Id say that you got had by the co. that sold you that furnace…I do hvac and also work for ahs Ive never sold furnace for more than 2400.00,,,you got raped by that company…wish i had more customers like you….Id be rich!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buyer beware – I am a licensed A/C and heating contractor in Texas – I have never done or will ever work for any of the home warranty scammers but I do clean up the mess after they are done.
Beware — equipment disposal fees are a joke – we get paid cash for the scrap copper out of the units
Condensate safety float switches don’t cost $200.00 – half that would be fair if a special trip is made to do just that but if already on site $49.95 for the part 5 minutes to installed.
READ CAREFULLY — IF YOU OWN A HEAT PUMP TYPE SYSTEM — THE INDOOR AND THE OUTDOOR MUST BE MATCHED UP PER THE MANUFACTURE IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK PROPERLY – THIS MEANS YOU CANNOT PUT A PAYNE UNIT WITH A TRANE UNIT AND EXPECT IT TO WORK PROPERLY————IF YOU HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM PAY THE SERVICE CALL TO A REAL SERVICE COMPANY – NOT AFFAILIATED WITH ANY OF THE WARRANTY COMPANIES AND GET THE PROPER INFORMATION — COMPANIES THAT DO WORK FOR HOME WARRANTY COMPANIES ARE THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL OF CONTRACTORS — COMPETENT CONTRACTORS WOULD NEVER DO WORK FOR THE HOME WARRANTY SCAM COMPANIES
BEWARE
I had an evaporator coil problem and the contractor was trying to get some extra money out of me. This item was supposedly covered based on our agreement. The contractor came up with these bogus Up To Code Requirements that would have cost me $1200 out of pocket. It was as if they were not happy about working with a warranty company and they were trying to get as much out of me that they could not get from the warranty company. I wanted AHS to get me a second opinion and I was required to pay the extra service fee if they found the same thing. I got 3 independent contractors to come out and give me an estimate and they thought the charges were also bogus. It was a very frustrating experience and I had to use an outside contractor to get the job done. Before you buy a warranty with this company check the fine print.
AHS did not take the effort to try and truly help me. They are overpriced for what they provide.
Lousy Service – maybe 1/4 star – were supposed to have finished the repair yesterday but needed a part. Were supposed to be back at 9 am today. Called at 9:15 and was told they were on the way and would be here in 30 to 45 minutes. Its now over six hours later and still no show. Don’t do business with these people you cant believe what they tell you.
I agree with most of the reviews posted here about AHS. I have had them for a year and believe that it is the companies that AHS contracts with that give it a bad reputation. Customer service at AHS is really good and responsive. However, I had terrible experiences with the contractors – they claim AHS will/has denied repairs when they have not. ALWAYS call AHS and talk to them about the submitted reports. Ask for an alternative contractor if not satisifed. They will send another and if there is a different conclusion you will not be required to pay and additional service fee. SO far AHS has paid to replace a cooktop, a plugged up drain, and several electrical outlets.
I’am an HVAC contractor in Florida. Per an associates suggestion signed up as a service provider with AHS. We’re a new business trying to stay alive. What a mistake. Terrible existing contractors. Terrible customer service. No real coverage. We could not in good conscience play the denial game. We are a true customer service company and have many good clients and customers. I dont understand how anyone could work for AHS and sleep at night. We could’nt. We’ll take our chances in the open market. They are a rip-off. Don’t waste your money. Call an HVAC company outright. Ask your friends or neighbors who they use. Ask lot’s of questions. Don’t submit yourself to AHS lies. The regional rep did not care when we brought up our concerns. “All we need to to is make sure they renew the contracts” That was enough for us.
I have had AHS Warranty for more than 5 yrs. 1st repair/replacement was a nightmare.STove took 3 months 5 different service technicans.Techs make appts and didn’t show.Stove finally had to be replaced & they delivered it left it in the middle of my kitchen with no set up.another appt had to be set up to have another company install the stove and when that occurred the one assigned could do the entire procedure. This occurred over a 1 1/2 yrs ago. More recently I have a DW broken.Tech came out said needed new pump.He left, nothing for 2 wks. New tech comes out 4/30 from Greenway Services to get a #off the DW.Came back again on 5/3 said will order new pump.5/28 still no word no repair.Message with no response. Everytime a repair or replace was called for it has been a horrible experience.
It’s just totally unacceptable!
I have used their costomer service many times for questions or concerns and they are the most nicest people to speak to and take time to understand some concerns I have had from reading some comments on this page. I have not used their service yet but if their service techs are as curtious as they are then I have no worries!
Sucks! Sucks! Spent 5 months out of 12 with no Heat or Air.
They perform well when it comes to routine service calls such as reparing a plumbing leak or adding refrigerent to an AC system, BUT their replacement service is a SCAM!
I used AHS a couple of times a year. After filing a claim, someone usually calls in 24 hours. Last repair involved our oven losing power. First tech came out and electrician was required. Never heard from electrician or AHS after that.
We have had AHS for 3 years. I’ve had to have them service my dishwasher several times for the same problem. I only had to pay the service fee once. The last time they sent a different repairman and no problems since. Just last week They came out and had to replace the thermostat for my a/c. The repairman was prompt, friendly, knew exactly what he was doing and courteous. I have been considering finding another company simply because the price keeps going up. But then again what hasn’t increased in price!
We had a plumbing problem with our sewer line in December and the person sent out from the company they hire had his cable break in the sewer line and he informed us that our sewer line needed replaced as it was broken. The man took the cover off the cleanout so the sewer would drain knowing full well that it wouldn’t work right. Upon discovering the lid had been removed from the cleanout so our plumbing could drain, we called customer service who told us that we would have to pay another service call. I told them I never wanted that company in my home again and they said that is who they hire so I tried to cancel then but had to wait until my renewal was closer. We ended up hiring our own company who discovered the cable — plumbing company admitted that they left the cable as their plumber could not remove it when confronted but we never did get any money back. I wouldn’t recommend AHS to my worst enemy.
Bought a house that had a warranty through AHS. When our AC froze up we thought “it’s ok, we have that warranty”. Well they sent some fly-by-night outfit to check it out. They did the initial diagnosis, got my $55 and then disappeared saying they were waiting for approval from AHS. AHS said they had authorized the repair on the spot. Someone was lying. Save your money, a warranty is not a warranty if they don’t pay the warranty claims.
You all only complain about the home warranty because you are CHEAP!!!!!!!!! Just pay somebody to fix it right… lose the headache and trouble…and live your life like most people that pay for the job to be done right…if the shoe were on the other foot then youd understand…or better yet complain to them that the reason…and I know it is the reason because i have worked for ac companies that work for ahs in the past…that the very reason that these companies dont do as good of a job is because ahs and every home warranty out therepays so very little that the co. in question cannot afford to run their business and wiil go out of business if they do it right the first time…if i go to someone home and your copay is 60 dollars …our hourly rate for ahs is 60 …we put 2 lbs of freon in the system…you know what the billable total is for this call…comon and guess…70 measly dollars…yeah that’s right $5 a lb for freon..you figure the math… the truck,hourly rate for service tech which can vary depending on their experience from $14-25 or 30 an hour,freon at this time costs 4 dollars or so a pound,office lease cost,office employees,gas cost and we all know how high that is, and various other odds and ends stuff…it costs more than seventy dollars just to show up at your door much less fix anything that requires any parts…the rates they pay their contractors are 15 to 20 years outdated yet they do not raise their end even though the prices of everything are so much higher…if you want to complain to ahs then that is what needs to change in order for you to get the kind of service you pay for…if our cost per cqall is too high then they reduce the amount of calls that they issue to that co. therefore if you were a business owner in this situation then you would probably do thet same thing…just bandaid it and keep it running becuase if you dont then you just might go out of business…hope this has been helpful for you guys in maybe seeing both sides of the story… quit complaining and do something about it or quit being so damn cheap and open your wallet and pay someone to fix it right …you signed the damn contract and didnt read the fine print or research it better…it’s your fault also…for 50 to sixty percent of you the cost of replacing the system with a high efficiency system with a 10 year parts and labor warranty from the manufacturer will save you more energy,more money and headache in the long run than paying whatever you pay a year for the home warranty plus time missed from work and well you get the idea…but then again most of you are cheap beyond belief and expect everything for nothing..read the fine print an do not sign if you dont like it!!!!!!!!
Criminals. They claim to not have service providers in the DC area. Initially, my water heater was replaced but with one that leaks. Now, I am out of luck. I cannot wait for my contract to expire so I can get a reputable home warranty.
AHS was fantastic for us in our old home. Our new home came with a 2-10 warranty, which is worthless.
We just cancelled our warranty with this company after nearly 3 years in this house and 2 years in our last. They raised their rates without notice to us, sent a contractor we demanded never come to our home again, refused to send anyone for several days in an emergency and then lied to the company about a minor repair telling them we told them we damaged it ourselves. The quality of service technicians went down with the increase in co-pay (it’s $60 now) and policy premium. I can’t recommend this company to anybody unless nobody else will have you. The above is strictly my opinion based only on my own experience.
I have been happy with American Home Shield for the past 2 years with my home and 4 other rental homes. I was happy until my last call. I have a rental home and the AC went out. They have sent a tech by there over 4 times and the unit is still not fixed. They are not interested in sending a new tech.
Very simple you have the warranty for years.They tell you items are coverd.I’ve have had my AC serviced 5ys in a row.they wont do the right thing by replace it.No unit should need that much service every year.I tell them I have a major health issue and i need the air to breath.It’s always like a week later before i can get some help after calling the 5-6 times a day every day until someone shows.
I COULDNT BE MORE DISSATISFIED WITH AHS! WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY! CALLED THEM ON A AIR CONDITIONER PROBLEM, TOOK 4 PHONE CALLS AND 5 DAYS TO GET A DRUNK SUBCONTRATOR OUT TO THE HOUSE. HE COLLECTED THE DEDUCTIBLE AND DID NOT FIX THE UNIT. CALLED HIS COMPANY 10 MINUTES AFTER HE LEFT TO TELL THEM THE UNIT WAS STILL BROKEN AND THEY TOLD US THEY COULD NOT GET ANYONE OUT TO OUR HOME FOR 2 MORE DAYS! I HAVE A SMALL INFANT, AND INDIANA SUMMERS ARE HUMID AND HOT. AHS TOLD US OUR CLAIM DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY AND IF I HAVE THE UNIT FIXED ON MY OWN, THEY WILL NOT COVER THE COST!!!!!!! DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM AHS!!!
Terrible customer service. Contractors they choose to send out to the home sometimes never showed or called after giving you a window of time to complete service.
-Very bad customer service. I have to wait for 20-30 minutes everytime I call them.
-They will find every reason not to cover the parts.(These parts are mentioned in the Convered parts list of the contract)
-I WILL NOT RECOMMEND THIS.
I have had AHS for three years. They have been useful with some of the plumbing issues over the years. They were good about replacing a dishwasher that coud not be repaired last year. but my issues are with the A/C unit, they have come out on four seperate visits to repair the A/C that always requires freon the start of the summer. This year I turned the A/c on and had no cool air flowing at all. Called for repair on a Thursday…didnot get a technician to the house till the following Tuesday evening….We went through 5 straight days of 100+ temp. The technician added freon and pointed out that the unit had a crimped pipe that was allowing the freon to leak out and would have to come back to repair the pipe. He said that AHS might not schedule it and that I should call the office in afew days to push the issue. I had to call the office, now I’m on the schedule for next week. I’ll cross my fingers that they will do the repair correctly and I don’t have to call next year for more freon. This repair will determine whether I renew for year four for look for another company. I’m paying close to $500 a year for a townhouse with no extras…seems rather high to me. Would be interested in other companies out there.
Beware of this company as they are very very picky when it comes to what they can and cannot cover. The customer service has got to be the worst I have ever dealt with. I waited for 3 weeks to get service on my AC because someone screwed up the request and I kept receiving calls to reschedule my appointment. When they finally made it to my house they refused to provide the service requested because of a technicality. I finally gave up and cancelled my service with this people and went with another company.
Beware of American Home Shield and their bad practices. I had a home warranty with them that expired and I got a call from them offering to renew for a good price, so I did. So I never used the warranty until I tried today and found out that the renewed warranty was not the same as the original warranty (no appliances covered) and that’s why the good price. It was a bate and switch. When I called to complain, all they said was I should have read the document they mailed me after I renewed.
There is no reason to re-write what has already been written by so many others but I also had A/C problems and multiple service requests for the same issue and the problem was never fixed. Now I am no longer with the company and I am out 100’s of dollars. We should get together and file a mass lawsuit.
You just bitch and whine cuz you want something for nothing.cuz you are CHEAPPPPPP…bitch about your health insurance then they never pay for everything either and you get poor doctors…get used to it this is the way the world goes round
This company is the worse of the worse, you would be better off not having home warranty protection.
I used the service twice. They did what I expected of them with a few bumps along the way. My complaint came when they cancelled my account “accidentally”. Opened a second account in my name and double charged me because they reopened the initially cancelled account. I deposited a refund check they sent me to cover the double debit from my account. They stopped payment on it because they were having trouble locating funds they debited previously and one of the two accounts showed a balance due. When I tried to get my money back the company put me on hold and sent me through 10 to 15 different people all with different answers. I never got my money back. I told them to cancel both accounts. I have been robbed. If they take money from so many people per year they should have a windfall. The customer service rep said “I’m sorry and you aren’t the first one this has happened to.” Well, thanks.
Truly awful customer service. If something needs to be replaced, they use only bottom of the line materials.
Expensive, difficult to contact to resolve issues, and they will contest most claims and charge for required items.
I’m an attorney who has been scammed by American Home Shield. I’m looking for anyone who wants to join a class action lawsuit. I’m located in Georgia but you don’t have to be. Please email me at LegalCohen@aol.com.
I had AHS for 7 years so this is a 7 year rating. In that time their service had gotten worse. Their service personnel are not local and this created some long waits for service. The latest act on their part was to deny service after a plumber said my leak was caused by an incorrect installation of the toilet(He quickly offered to replace it for $400-$550 out of pocket). He did not let me hear the conversation w/ AHS so I had no chance to combat his assessment of the situation or argue my position. When AHS called me back and denied the service they said I was allowed a second opinion but their only contractor was the same guy. They did however offer a coupon for the $55 I paid for nothing. I called after 13 days of waiting for the coupon to be told it was sent to the printing office and would take FOUR TO SIX WEEKS TO BE DELIVERED! I replaced the toilet myself and will never renew w/ AHS.
In the year we had the Core,Plus,Flex Plan we filed approx. 5 claims none of which were covered. Took out added coverage for pool and after 1st technician reported we had plumbing problems they refused to cover any pool repair even after I had an independent pool tech verify there were no leaks (hummmm, is that why contract only allows “their” technicians). I could go on and on but don’t want to bore you. Just want to advise folks not to waste their money with this company as they will find everyway possible to get out of paying a claim.
We have had AHS for 10 years. I would never switch and I have been very pleased. We had both a washer and a dryer died (and were replaced free of charge to us) and in one home had to have over $6,000 of plumbing replaced (it was an older home). We have never had a problem with service. We have had a couple of things that were not covered and it was very clearly stated in our contract so how could I complain. We are currently having an issue with the dishwasher and are having a tough time with the contractor keeping us in the loop so AHS is concidering pulling their contract with the technician. Nothing but good things to say so far.
Had a faucet that wouldn’t turn on. AHS doesn’t cover faucets!?! What? They also don’t cover anything related to sinks, tubs or showers. Unbelievable. Dropped immediately.
I’ve used the policy twice, once on a dishwasher (a door switch, which was diagnosed and repaired by a competent technician) and once on an AC/heating unit (fan on the condensing unit replacement, a very competent technician). The service was good in both cases. There was some problem with delay in communication between AHS and the contractors in setting up the service, a couple of days in both instances. Otherwise, I’ve been pleased, so far.
We didn’t renew our policy with AHS because of numerous problems — I placed a service call on my washing machine. The service techs (I use that term loosely) must have come to work on the machine at least 3 different times, ultimately making the problem worse. We went and bought a new machine. We had to use the cash out option when replacing our A/C unit because unless we replaced the concrete pad under the unit, AHS would not pay for the repair. When contacted by AHS about not renewing our policy, I told them why (poor service) and the CSR hung up on me. Classy outfit!
ahs used to be good years ago. I’ve had a policy with them for years. Nwo they are terrible, they just interested in taking your money. do not use them.
I love American Home Shield!
When I signed up for this company I was told on the phone and what was in my contract was 4 hours to respond on business days and 48 hours on weekends and holidays and the usual stuff what they covered and the cost, etc. How they contacted the contractor and how I paid only $55.00. However, the first time I needed them was when my water heater broke. Guess what, they told me they did not have a contractor in my area and I would have to find someone, send them the estimate, wait on approval and I pay UPFRONT for the repair/replacement and send them the bill. Never at any time on my sign up conversation or anywhere in my contract is this stated. When I complained I was told that when the sales office signs customers they have no idea if there is a contrator in your area and the only way you find out is after you sign up and start your payments and then have a repair request. That is fruad, sales says not my fault, I have no list and can not obtain one. If I wanted to have to pay up front costs myself I would not need this insurance. I got this insurance to cover my repairs/replacement cost. I was lied to and NO WHERE on my contract is this stated, that I may have to find my own person, get the repairs, pay for the repairs and then wait on my check to get paid back, NO WHERE. Do not use this company. Call them up and the get the sales pitch, they will never at any time tell you this could be a possiblity and it will not be stated in your contract anywhere. Call for a repair and surprise.
After submitting an A/C claim on a Thursday afternoon, the service tech showed up Friday pm and went to work on one of our antique compressors. After he spent an hour tracking down a replacement motor (it’s an antique…it took some time) he called the AHS authorization dept. and was told that he was taking too much time and charging too much. They told him to leave our house and not fix the a/c! Then they contacted another service provider for us. This other provider, through no fault of their own, cannot come fix our a/c until next Tuesday. When I called AHS customer service, and spoke with a supervisor, I explained that it was not acceptable for them to deny us a/c for FIVE days (albeit only on one side of our house…the bedrooms) when the motor could have been replaced in an hour or so. They kept telling me that they were “within regulation” on their decision. I kept telling them that I have a baby and a preschooler in the house and it’s going to be 100 degrees everyday until Tuesday. They didn’t care. I did the math and decided that if we cancel our contract now, we’ll still come out ahead because they’ve authorized about $500 worth of freon to be added to both of our compressors this year alone. This has been one of the worst customer service experiences ever for me.
If you live in Jacksonville, you can feel my pain as I share my story. I have a pet and a child who has asmtha. My AC went out on 7/20. I called AHS who sent out a tech on 7/22. They were unable to repair, so the tech ordered a compressor from a local comoany. It went down hill from there. We called them (notice that I said we called them) concerning the part and they told us that an appointment was scheduled for 8/. I took off from work only for them to call me and say that they could not install the compressor due to the rain, so they scheduled the the appointment for 8/4. Now, that being said, I would assume that the compress is sitting on a truck. The called this morning to say that the compressor is not in stock. I called AHS who says they can do nothing about it. There is NO record of my calling in to complain. The only address I could get out of the person a few minutes ago was an address in Iwoa. She could not provide me with phycial address. The customer servicef rep could only give me her first name. They do not have operator numbers. I did ask her if our message was being recorded and told her that I was not happy with the service or the contractor that they were using. I also told her that I was going to contact the BBB to file a formal complaint. It is 90 degress in my house as we speak. I am beyond frustated and ready to check into a hotel. My contract is up for renewel in November. You best beleive that I will not be using this company. I was better off paying full price.
Mixed:
1) Late 2007, a motor in our A-C setup went out. It was replaced, and the unit is working fine.
2) Early July 2008 our clothes washer went out. a) The motor was replaced. b) Noise, so the belts were replaced. c) and d) still problems. The washer stopped. Nothing found when tech came.
An 20-year-old washer should’ve been replaced. The belts should’ve been replaced with the motor. I now have a washer that keeps going out, and AHS won’t replace it.
Blacklist? What are you talking about? I don’t even have a company. Hello… Spelling? Grammar?
The crap continues. I’ve been so upset with this company that instead of driving to my doctors appointment, I drove to the dentist. On 8/6 I was told that the part was in stock. I called today and was told that the part was on back order. Its hot who cares about typo’s.
They are all about finding why the repair is not covered by their policy than offering a policy thet cover the major appliances of the houst. Policy usually does not cover installation. Often cost as much for the repair because of what is not covered than getting independent contractor bids. Cancelled policy.
I have had AHS for about 5 years and have had nothing but great experiences on minor and major repairs. Yesterday, I found a leak in my hot water heater. By the end of the day, I had a brand new water heater installed – no questions asked. Last year, I had a $900 repair done to my heat pump with no hassles at all. I think on a site like this, you mostly just draw the people who have had negative experiences. Most people are more apt to complain than write something positive when they get good service.
poor service.not forthwright.
AHS sent an appliance company out to fix our AC but they caused a leak and water damage in our ceiling. Neither company will fix damages and our AC still doesn’t work properly.
We just terminated our contact with AHS. This fall would have been 30 years of us having a contract with them. We were fed up with the poor quality, incompetent companies they send out for repairs. We’ve seen a steady decline in the customer service provided. Despite all our years of being loyal customers, they continually tried to deny claims or replace appliances that could not be repaired.
We had a problem with a blocked toilet and received a letter from AHS saying it was no longer covered by the contract because the plumber they sent out said a foreign object had been put down it. This was not true. They sent an incompetent plumber who tracked muddy footprints on our newly cleaned carpet, had no rag to hold his plunger or auger in, dripped dirty water all over the floor and carpet, and did not unclog the toilet.
Our water heater needed replacing, but they refused to do so. They said the water heater was installed incorrectly and this was what caused the problem. The company AHS sent out was the one who installed it. This was the final straw that caused us to cancel our contract. It wasn’t until my husband wrote a letter to the State of California Dept. of Insurance that they suddenly were responsive to our water heater situation.
I would get so stressed with each repair that was needed. A few years ago I had to wait 6 weeks for a part for my 3 year old washing machine because AHS would not get the part from Sears and used some other distributor. This gives you a clue of the type of customer service they provide.
They have no customer service supervisor to contact to try to get problems resolved. You have to repeat your situation to the person who answers the 800 number, and they have service centers in several states. You cannot speak with the same person. You have to start all over again describing your problem.
The stress of having poor customer service does not make AHS worth having. I now can call a local plumber who comes out and takes care of the problem quickly and competently. I told AHS that I will tell anyone I know not to use their service.
American Home Shield is a joke. Called to speak to a supervisor and was hung up on twice. I certainly agree with the comments about sub standard contractors. Every time we filed a claim the contractor seemed to be a one man operation with no office and just a cell phone. That tells me there must be a reason why local established companies won’t have anything to do with them. Horrible, arrogant and rude customer service.
First off the price is $500 annually for a 1 floor single home. The deductable is $65.00 and the reasons for non-coverage are unbelievable.
If you are thinking about AHS, I personally wouldn’t let the comments here scare you off. They have something like 1,000,000 warranties in force. If AHS was that consistently that terrible, you’d see 400,000 or more negative comments here instead of less than 1,000. I’ve always had very professional people come to work on things in my house and I have never had a repair or replacement (major or minor) declined. My water heater was recently replaced in less than 24 hours after I submitted the online service request. I’m glad I renewed again this year.
I have been an AHS customer for 4 years and DO NOT plan to renew my contract with them. I have had THE WORST customer service experience with them. My AC went out & the diagnosis was that the compressor should be replaced. The technician replaced it with a new one after 1 week of no AC with a heat index in excess of 100 degrees. It is now almost a month and the new one hasn’t worked since the day of installation. I’ve made countless calls to AHS, spoken with 2 Supervisors, taken time off work, made many phone calls to the Vendor and can’t get anyone to respond. This is totally unacceptable. Requested to speak with a Mgr @ AHS but was told he was ‘unavailable’ and would call me back. Never return the call. Horrible, horrible service and unreliable Vendors!
Do not use AHS!!!!! The customer service is bad and you will always get the run around in regards to what is covered and what isn’t covered. Twice I have been without water in my home for over a week because AHS couldn’t get their act together. I have had to fight with each repair. Please don’t use their services. You will truly be upset when you need a repair.
Where did the old AHS go? Been a customer for many years but here in Texas now without a/c for 3 weeks. Technician said he would not be back for several weeks when he left with my compressor, pretty much the only truth in this repair. Every time I talk with a rep, I get a different answer as to why the repair cannot be made. Part not available, part damaged, part reordered, failed to order part, didn’t get work order…..any number of other excuses. I have pleaded for a new tech but they refuse. Hot and still waiting for repair!!!!!!!!!!!!
The problem is not with AHS Insurance company and the inept companies they use, particularly the personnell that you must speak with not the technicians, they know nothing, cannot tell you when they will be there and constantly use (the warehouse)for parts as their out. Do not use AHS / American homesheild. ie: we reported our return air motor had gone out on Sat. and as of Wednesday afternoon they cannot tell me a damn thing. Going to find another company today.Had been customer 7 years will do everything I can to dissuade people form AHS.
Years ago this company was good. Then, they sent out a “revised prospectus” on their coverage, eliminating a good deal of their coverage, including spa coverage. Every year I needed repairs to my spa, so this was no longer available to me. When I examined the changes they made to coverage and what they had eliminated I no longer wanted to deal with them, so I cancelled. They have gone from good to bad. When customers can’t get coverage on items they had in the past, they lose their customers. They no longer offer the good coverage they once had and I am no longer a customer. I would not recommend them to anyone but my worst enemy.
Very disappointing! I have found service in the past and present to be sluggish and substandard. Specifically, when an a/c contractor come out to assess the problem sees that you have a zoning damper, but won’t investigate or assess, but summarizes that it’s beyond their scope, collects your money, make promises that someone else with the expertise will come out to repair, but fails to inform you that this is not covered under the contract. Poor, Poor, Poor!!!! Beware of Bishop Mechanical Air Conditioning and heating. He doesn’t even have current registration and inspection stickers on his vehicle! The one thing he did do is show up on time to collect the $60.00. Thanks, but no thanks!
Don’t waste your money and time with this company. Period.
I’m sorry so many have had problems with AHS. I have had good experiences. Six months after purchasing the coverage, my furnace died. AHS replaced it, no questions asked. I’ve also had a minor garage door repair and plumbing issue resolved for $55 apiece. I have no complaints.
If you want the run around for every service call and your claims denied then buy an American Home Shield policy.
I had a plumbing problem in my crawl space. I called American Home Shield so that they would send a plumber. The plumber came out, looked at it and said I needed to have the area cleaned up before he would do anything. Fair enough. He also said he would have to contact American Home Shield to make sure they would cover it but he saw no reason why they shouldn’t. I pay the $55 “service” fee.
So I pay quite a substantial amount of money to have the area cleaned. The plumber comes back about a week later just to say American Home Shield would not cover the repair because in the plumber’s view it was not installed properly to begin with. I have no idea why he had to come back out to tell me that. And why American Home Shield was so cowardly that they could not tell me themselves.
So basically I paid $55 and wasted a couple of days of my life to have a problem diagnosed that I already knew about, in addition to the large sum of money I paid to have the area cleaned.
American Home Shield is not a warranty company. And the “service” fee is actually a diagnosis fee.
I’ve had to email the president of the company twice. Once they were nice about everything. But the second time they refused to do anything.
So disappointing! Too much to write! Basically, a nightmare for a plumbing issue! No repair, just a diagnosis for $55.00. Cancelled agreement and would not recommend. A HUGE waste of my time!
THIS WAS FOR 1997.!!!
Oceanside, CA.
(1) Garage door opener fixed.
$30.00 co-pay. $150.00 actual cost to fix.
NOTE: Back then, it would have been cheaper for them to just get a new one.
(2) TWO, yes 2 toilets fixed on same visit.
$30.00 co-pay (not $60.00). Unknown actual cost to fix.
I now own my father’s house and because of the great service they provided for my father back then I was going to get their service again. After everything I’ve been reading, I’m really wary about doing so.
Absolutely terrible customer service. Always has an excuse why something is not covered and why they won’t fix it. THey don’t send the cream of the crop technicians. Most of them don’t have a clue what is going on, they just take your service fee and the problem is never fixed! Don’t use!!
Featured Review
Like all insurance companies, there are limits to the policies, but there are also policy upgrades that you can buy to cover almost all contingencies.
I would say a fraction of 1% of all the calls are declined, mainly on my belief that AHS was being robbed. For example, the water heater that was leaking the first day the people moved in and the water stains were all over the floor….very obvious that the unit had been leaking before the policy was written. Things like that will get denied in a heartbeat.
I don’t get enough calls from AHS anymore. I have a feeling that the housing crisis is affecting them, too. It will be a sad day for all of you if it goes under.
Horrible experience with a/c service. Their contractors are poor quality. Customer service is a nightmare brickwall!
If you need service, it better not be with AHS!
American Home Shield – how to beat home warranty companies at their own game
I have discovered how aggrieved homeowners can turn the tables on home warranty companies and beat them at their own game. Please share this with everyone you know.
I’m an attorney and after having a problem with my home warranty company, American Home Shield, I decided to investigate whether other homeowners had experienced the same or a similar problem. What I found were web sites devoted to consumer complaints on which numerous homeowners had recounted incidents of fraud, deception, and rip-offs by their home warranty company. I also found a blog written by a former American Home Shield employee and another written by a former plumber for a home warranty company. Both recounted situations that would not pass the “smell test” in a court of law.
I also investigated lawsuits that had been filed against American Home Shield in Georgia, which is where I live. I found about 15 cases. The majority of cases had been filed in small claims court. As I reviewed the cases, I discovered that none of the cases had been litigated. In every instance, the case had been settled to the Plaintiff’s satisfaction although the details of each settlement were not part of the case file. With the knowledge that all cases had been settled to the homeowners’ satisfaction, I realized that American Home Shield would settle with an aggrieved homeowner before allowing a case to go to trial. My conclusion is that the only thing aggrieved homeowners need to do to beat home warranty companies at their own game is to file suit. The last thing American Home Shield wants to do is litigate a homeowner’s claim and the reasons are obvious to me.
The most obvious reason American Home Shield would not want to litigate a claim is that in most instances, the cost to American Home Shield to settle a claim would be less than the cost to litigate. The average amount of a claim in the cases I found was $3,800.00. Two were for less than $1,000.00 and only one was for more than $10,000.00. I’m sure far more than the 15 homeowners who have filed lawsuits in Georgia have had their claims denied. American Home Shield wins when a claim is denied and the homeowner does not sue, which is exactly what American Home Shield is counting on homeowners not doing.
Another reason American Home Shield does not want to litigate is because the company does not want to have to defend its craftily drafted contract or its questionable business practices, which is exactly what it would have to do if a case went to trial. American Home Shield also does not want such information to become public knowledge, which is also likely to happen. Additionally, a judge or a jury would also be hard pressed to return a verdict favorable to a company that engages in questionable business practices.
The final reason American Home Shield does not want to litigate is because a lawsuit actually places American Home Shield in a precarious situation. American Home Shield would have a difficult time defending any claim by a homeowner because the company has no first hand knowledge about the claim; it would need the testimony of the service contractor who, for its own reasons, may be less than eager to testify. The only knowledge American Home Shield has is what the company has been told by the service contractor. And any testimony from American Home Shield about what it was told by the service contractor is hearsay and not admissible in court.
To defend a claim, American Home Shield would need to subpoena the service contractor who actually made the diagnosis to testify about the claim. If the homeowner has done his/her homework, he/she would subpoena witnesses who could dispute the witnesses for American Home Shield. The homeowner should subpoena one or more service companies who had been called either for a second opinion or to make the actual repairs to dispute the testimony of the American Home Shield service contractor. The homeowner might also consider locating one or more other aggrieved homeowners to testify about their problem with American Home Shield. Another good witnesses for the homeowner to subpoena would be a former service contractor for the home warranty company or a former employee of a service contractor.
Since American Home Shield has at least three significant reasons why it does not want to litigate, the best and easiest way an aggrieved homeowner can beat American Home Shield at their own game (and most likely any other home warranty company) is to file suit. The one thing for an aggrieved homeowner to keep in mind is that if he/she does not sue, the home warranty company will win. But if he/she sues, the homeowner will most likely win. And that is how an aggrieved homeowner can beat American Home Shield at their own game.
My advice to aggrieved homeowners is not to stress over a denied claim, the denial of a situation as an emergency, repeated “band-aid repairs,” or a delay in authorization or in the repair of an item. I would also advise a homeowner not to waste time arguing with American Home Shield but to set a reasonable deadline for the appropriate action. Upon expiration of the deadline without receiving satisfaction from American Home Shield, the homeowner should then proceed as if they did not have a home warranty and then sue American Home Shield for reimbursement. The homeowner should also remember to document every action or inaction by both himself/herself and American Home Shield. Although the disadvantage to the homeowner is initially having to pay for the repairs, the advantage is that the homeowner can choose the service contractor and the brands and quality of products. I won’t guarantee all aggrieved homeowners will prevail every time but I have good reason to believe most aggrieved homeowners will prevail the majority of time.
For aggrieved homeowners whose claims were denied at sometime in the past, you may still be able to sue for reimbursement. To make that determination, the homeowner needs to research the statute of limitation for suing on a contract in their state. In any event, a homeowner should be safe filing suit for a claim that was denied during the past twelve (12) months.
Within the next six months, instead of reading homeowner’s stories about being scammed and ripped off by their home warranty company, I want to read stories about how homeowners turned the tables and beat their home warranty company at their own game.
If anyone has any questions, I can be contacted at LegalCohen@aol.com.
Good luck.
We got AHS when we purchased our 20 year old home. I’m glad we have had them for the past year since we have encountered numerous problems with the house. 1)The upstairs A/C did not produce cool air. When the tech came, he checked the freon lines, and then determined that the problem was due to improper maintenance. Since we had only been in the house for 2 months I explained to AHS that if it was improper maintenance, it wasn’t our fault. They refused service anyway and I had to pay 1K out of my own pocket to get the ducting cleaned. 2) We noticed wet spots on the ceiling and then found a closet next to the downstairs A/C closet had flooded. Apparently the only thing keeping the unit from leaking was the amount of dust in the duct! AHS sent out a tech who said the problem was that the ducting was dirty. Once we provided him a copy of the invoice showing it had just been cleaned he angrily went to work on the unit and pulled the freon line out neccesitating replacement of the motor in the downstairs unit. Upstairs he sprayed the unit with some unidentified solution that he said would stop the condensation. IT DIDN’T! After 3 months AHS agreed to replace the upstairs unit (inside only, not outside) because the tech they sent over refused to work on it anymore. 3)We had a toilet upstairs that didn’t flush. The tech they sent out couldn’t find the problem and replaced the toilet, however in the process he broke the flange. A couple of weeks later we noticed wetspots on the ceiling again, and thinking it was the A/C again called in a claim. AHS sent a tech, he was helpful, he had to cut a hole in the ceiling which by now was completely wet drenching him when he cut, but he did determine that the problem was caused by plumbing, not A/C and called the claim in for us. The plumber came out quickly and determined the cause, however AHS initially refused to fis it since they said the problem was caused by improper installation. When I told them that their contractor had installed the toilet a couple of weeks previously they said they had no invoice for that and essentially called me a liar. Fortunately we save all of the invoices and were able to give them the invoice number. They finally agreed that it was caused by their contractor and agreed to fix the flange. But now we had a hole in the ceiling, black mold and a wet ceiling, all caused by the error made by the first technician. AHS told us it wasn’t their issue, that we had to deal with their contractor directly. I refused to do so, believing that they should deal with their contractor on my behalf. After a 1 hour phone call with their customer service rep, the contractor called and agreed to come out and fix the ceiling.
Overall I’ve been extremely frustrated with the service, but in reading this site and others I see that the problems I have encountered are typical of this industry, and in the end, even though it has taken significant time and trouble, all of the problems we have encountered have been taken care of.
All of the above problems! Google this company and you will find over (84) pages of complaints. We had three contracts on each property. In one year, we had to call a person regarding the washer. It took over four visits over a period of 60 days to get the problem resolved. The washer never worked again so I ended up purchasing a new one. The dryer’s heating element needed to be replaced, however the technician tore the belt in the process. This took over 90 days to repair, and the end result was that there was now black grease on the clothes coming out of the dryer. My basement flooded and I had a plumber come out to look at the sump pump. I was told that the pump was in working order. Another flood occurred in the same area. Another technician with another company came out and I was told that it was a combination of the sump pump and the A/C. One service call NEVER fixed anything. Frankly, the service was so horrible and I was so tired in having to schedule time off from work and then having no one show up. When I tried to contact AHS they would tell me that the technician came by the house and no one answered the door. What a rip off! Needless to say, this company is only interested in collecting your payment up front. Good luck in getting good service or any service. Wait until your contract is about to expire and then you will receive several calls from the home office with their “sincere concern” that your policy is about to expire and they appreciate your business. Best advice: Run!
We have had AHS since we bought our house 5 years ago. The first request we had was no problem getting fixed, which was our hot water heater. Then like most peoples problems, our HVAC went out. We fought with them for a month to get it fixed. Like everyone else, they tried not covering due to it being dirty and nonmaintenance. I think they just tell their contractors to say that upon their visits. They actually did grant us a second opinion. And they actually found the problem and told us it wasn’t due to nonmaintenance. We still had to fight to get them to cover the 13 seer stuff. All-in-all we were out the service fee and $200, which we had to negotiate with them. We decided to renew with them last year after lengthy calls and negotiations with their sales people. Which come to find out, those negotiations were not honored when we needed their service this year on our refrigerator. We will not be renewing again with them. Their service gets worse and worse every year.
AHS is a nightmare and will do ANYTHING to avoid replacing an appliance. They’ve sent technicians (2 different companies) over a dozen times between May – September. Each time, the technicians jerry rig something that doesn’t hold up. The technicians themselves were polite, but all stated that AHS gives them a very hard time.
I asked AHS how many times we have to go through another repair before they replace the unit. The answer was clear when I received a letter they’re not renewing the contract.
Sad thing is that as I look at ratings for other Home Warranty Companies, most look similarly horrible. The good ones will only underwrite you if your involved in a new real estate transaction. It appears the Home Warranty business in general is a scam.
The service and the contractors they use are very poor and try to deny claim so the can charge you exorbitant price. Even though the appliances are regularly maintained the .company still would claim that it is not properly maintained .
I had an issue with my furnace blower, and by the time they sent out the right person, I had damage to the blower. They wouldn’t cover any of the contractor’s over blown estimate. The people they use are shady, rude and dishonest, and their customer service is almost as bad.
I had a problem with a builtin microwave and the first person they sent out couldn’t find anything wrong with it (it worked just fine when he got to the house!). The second time, when it stopped working entirely, they sent out a tec from Sears and she was wonderful. She ordered the part, had it shipped to my house and another tec came and installed the part and it worked just fine. He even checked my dishwasher while he was ther to make sure it was OK so I wouldn’t have a second visit charge.
slow to show on my dish washer repair, too many exclusions, I ended up buying a new unit.
Their contractors were not always the best. We have had several incidence with unprofessionalism. AHS tends to ’side’ with their contractors over their customers. One contractor says they came out…. they never did. Continued to lie about it, and AHS would not credit the $55 Service Fee. I refused to pay for a visit that never took place. This was the deciding factor to switch companies.
I had something break off of my hot water tank. Called AHS who sent out a repair man. The repair man sit in my driveway for 20 mins before entering my home. It was raining outside so his boots were wet. He never covered them, went straight to the basement all the while he’s still on the phone taking his personal phone call. Once in the basement he stayed on that call for an additional 10 mins. Once he looked at my hot water tank he state plastic doesn’t break and either someone broke this or put something on top of it and it fell off. I asked him to leave after a few words were exchanged because he stated he would tell AHS this so that it would not be covered. Why on earth would I break my own hot water tank. Needless to say I asked for a second opinion. The company that came out asked after the work was done who was sent out here first and I didn’t even give them a name, they knew who it was and stated they don’t know why AHS keeps using this company because it’s the same issue everytime. AHS keeps using this company because they DON’T WANT TO PAY FOR ANYTHING. This wasn’t the first problem I had with them however, it was certainly the last.
I recently had a leak at my home and filed a service request through American Home Shield. The contractors the sent out, ARS Rescue Rooter in Phoenix, Arizona totally took advantage of me and began work under the presumption it was covered by the home warranty. When they were finished repairing the leak, they demanded $3,000 for the repair and told me that it wasn’t covered under my warranty. After several calls to American Home Shield trying to figure out what happened, they informed me they would only cover $500 for the leak. They assumed no responsibility, offered no sympathy and basically told me the work I had done through their contractor was between me and the contractor. To add insult to injury, they only paid me $431 dollars of the $500 leak limit because their contractor double billed. The reason why I give them a bad review is that I felt through the whole ordeal that they were defending the contractor who they sent out, who they owe nothing to, and not respecting or protecting me, THEIR customer. Instead they sent out a dishonest company and left me with the bill and offer no apologies for it whatsoever. What ever happened to customer service?
This company is awful. We had their coverage for over 10 years. In the last few years, the quality of their contractors has diminished significantly, their customer service has become terrible, and they have denied claim after claim for no good reason. I would not recommend them to anyone..
Have had AHS since 2002 when we purchased our current house.
Summer 2002 – Upstairs zone AC failed – first maintenance call refreshed compressor gas – failed again within 60 days. Diagnosis was system failure. AHS replaced compressor and exchanger unit in attic (est cost $3000+ according to AC people).
2005 – Water heater failed – AHS replaced.
2006 – Attic fan failed – AHS replaced. The maintenance personnel install the new fan incorrectly and I had to remove and remount the fan over the roof vent.
2007 – Stove failed – AHS replaced but only after 3 months and 6 technical visits to attempt to repair old unit. We upgraded and purchased a new stove at considerable savings. THere were problems with the maintenance personnel knowing our 20 year old range and I think one may have actually broken it. The oven door would no longer lock for self-cleaning.
Dealing with AHS has been frustrating at times, but overall they have fullfilled their obligations under the contract and we are ahead of the curve (our payments to them have been less than they have paid out for our 4 equipment replacements.
I’m sure AHS is not alone, but they do business with true bottom-of-the-barrel service providers. In particular, we have had nothing but problems with our plumbing companies, no matter which one(s) AHS dispatches. Furthermore, many of the companies we’ve used are sloppy about scheduling and meeting appointments. When I compare these providers to ones that I personally research and hire (for items in my house not covered by AHS), the difference in service is like night and day. I will abandon AHS as soon as I think I’ve found a suitable replacement.
Well, I have it only for one year and thats it. I wont renew.
We had our 15 year old toilet leaking finally, AHS send a plummer and they said it is leaking because it is human caused issue!
He told me that here is a crack on the toilet tank. Well I told him that the ones using this toilet is are humans only.
He said if this problem occured in time by itself, then AHS would have covered it.
Well I told him that if no one used this tiolet believe me nothing happen to it.
This discussion did not go on for a long time and I called AHS and kindly asked them to cancel and not renew.
This is not the only incident we had but this was most ironic one.
They are expert on finding a reason not to spend any money on fixing things, all they care is your payments.
I’ve had AHS since 2 Sep 08, today is 30 Oct 2008. I called AHS to have my money refunded today, hopefuly I hear from them in the near future.
We bought the house we wanted and of course paid the 400 dollars for an insurance company to back us up in case something went wrong with the house.
2 days after moving in the A/C stopped working, we live in Tampa and it was HOT right after we moved into the house. Called AHS and spoke to a very nice operator to place the order in, well because of the long weekend, the company that was supposed to come didn’t show up until about 3 days after the long weekend had passed (We had fans to keep us less hot). Well, they show up “THE AIR DOCTOR” and those guys are sweating just like we were. They checked the unit and said,”your unit is overcharged and needs to be drained and re-charged in order to work right” but we have to contact AHS to see if it is covered or nor. I said OK assuming that AHS will give the go ahead to fix the problem. I get a call from “Air Doctor” that between them and AHS have determined that it is a pre-existing condition and will not be covered. I told them that I did not care how much it was, I NEED IT FIXED. 550 dollars later the unit was supposed to be fixed….. The A/C was still not working right. All I can see is my electric meter going around like a 45 record while the A/C unit is trying to bring my house to 82 degrees….. At night it would all stop as the temp would go down… Called the same contractor to check it out and they arrive way too early (got to take kids to school) and I was specific not to show up before 9am, but they were still here at 8 am.
Now it is October and the temperature has gone down quite a bit and cannot check if the system is really up to speed… I spoke to AHS and told them I wanted my money back. We replaced all appliances in the house with the exception of the water heater (if I need to replace it I can get it from Lowes or Home Depot for maybe 400 and my neighbor is a plumber), and the A/C unit I can just have the same contractor come back to check it out. MY ADVISE TO ALL READING, if your appliances look fairly good save yourself from the hassle of dealing with AHS. They will find a way not to cover what they promised. They already have their money, they don’t care if the service they provide is good or not…..
My A/C went out last summer after the summer before it went out every other month. The first person they sent out told me the compressor was out, but told AMS it was due to coils not being cleaned so AMS said they would not repair it. I ask for a second opinion and they said the wiring was done wrong when the house was built, so AMS said they would not repair it. After a month, i decided to call someone to get it fixed, since tempertures were close to 100 degrees. The guy said it was the compressor and put in a new system. Of course AMS would not reimburse me. My renewal is coming up this month and will probably not renew because of the A/C and since they have also gone up on the service call.
We have had AHS since we bought our home 3 years ago. We have only used them about 4 times in that time frame. The first two calls we made to them were handled great. The last two have been a major hassle. Both of these last two calls dealt with me not having heat in the winter. One my furnace was broken and this last time my water heater rusted through. Both times I called, I was told that my request was sent to a technician and I should hear in 2 hours when they were coming out. Both times after 4 days of hearing nothing, with no heat and no water, I called AHS back. Both times I was told that the technician had tried to call me over and over, and never got an answer or a returned call.
I work from home. I am here all day, every day. No one called here. I tried to explain that to the CSR, but they would not listen. I then asked to please allow MY plumber (who is licensed, bonded and insured) to come out and fix my issue. Both times I was told no, that it must be the technician they assigned.
It finally came down to – I could wait and wait to get my heat and hot water restored. It was already 4 days with no call… or I could just eat the cost and fix it myself since they refused to approve an outside worker.
I understand that for things like a washer and dryer, something non-essential but twice they have left me and my family with no heat in the winter, for days while they ‘try’ to get a tech to come out and fix it. And they refuse any other action. Sorry AHS, its cold, and we’re sick, we need our heat. I am going to look for a better company. I am wasting $600 per year with AHS, and just had to pay another $175 that I will never see again because AHS would not/could not get a service tech here and would not approve my plumber.
I have used AHS for over 8 years on three homes. I will clarify that I have never had a major repair to deal with but have had many small things over the years. I have always been pleased with the service from AHS as well as the contractors that I have worked with. When I had issues, AHS and the contractors worked to correct the issue. I haven’t ever had a claim denied. I am disappointed that their rates continue to increase over the years.
Poor Payment procedure. Will not bill monthly or quarterly. Will report to collection quick. but slow in telling collectiona agency to stop when payment was done. Why is it necessarry to report to collection when it is only late premium?, I will go to another provider that makes monthly billing or at least quarterly.
I feel like this company has to look at the providers that it’s sending out to work on your home. It’s very apparent that they are upselling from the time they walk thru your door. That’s not what I’m paying for. I’m looking for a replacement company.
We have been using their service in Georgia for 5 years.
we never had any problem with costumer service,all the contractors were on time and the items were always repaired to our satisfaction,
a couple of time the repairs took several visits with no extra paiement due to parts order.
I woke up this morning to find my water heater had broken over-night. I could see minimal seepage coming in to the master bath via the grout lines in the tile. Fortunately, my water heater is in the garage.. it had water flowing through it into the driveway and into the alley. I know there is going to be some drywall damage. I called the American Home Shield “automated customer service”; there was NO OPTION FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE but I decided to leave my information and see what kind of response I would get. My reply: We will have someone at your house somtime tomorrow morning. WHAT!! I have water all over my garage, my drywall is getting soaked, I have no hot water.. and AHS is treating this like a “routine” service call.
I decided to call back and, after pressing #* several times, I was connected to a live agent. She obviously had no authority but she placed me on hold to speak with her supervisor. After about 2 minutes she told me that the original date to make the repair would not be changed.
My contract is up for renewal this month and I WILL NOT RENEW WITH AHS!! If they can figure a way to attach a hose to their customer service, they would have the world’s most powerful vacuum. They SUCK!!
mw
We were customers of AHS for over ten years. Every single summer we had a problem with our central air. Every single summer they charged it with freon. Sometimes a small part was replaced. They nursed it along and along. We thought, fine. When it finally goes, they replace it. WRONG. All of a sudden it needed a part that was not original to the A/C and they refused to fix or replace it. This was the major reason we had AHS in case our A/C ever went. $500 a year for ten years, we could have saved up the money to buy a new system! Do not use them!
Problems encountered include:
- service timeliness – we were left five weeks without a refrigerator and no one to speak to with the customer service dept,
- overcharge – a technician came for a repair, we paid by check for the visit,the check was cashed and our account debited. Months later, we called AHS for another issue and they would not process our request stating that we had an outstanding balance. We faxed proof that we had paid the technician who had made the last repair and a month later, the issue is still not solved.
We are discontinuing this plan.
The company does not rate high in my book for customer satisfaction. Poor customer service, and horrible contractors.
I am now in the 8th day after I submitted a service request to repair a gas forced air furnace. The first repair tech diagnosed a cracked heat exchanger and said the furnace was dangerous and unusable. AHS wanted to get a 2nd opinion which seemed like a smart thing to do and was OK by me. The company chosen to give the 2nd opinion didn’t come to do the inspection until the 5th day after the original service request was submitted. They, too, diagnosed a leaking heat exchanger. I’ve now been waiting over 48 hours for their estimate and still haven’t heard anything from them. In one day, they gave AHS 3 different, incompatible, stories about why their repair estimate was delayed. AHS is totally unconcerned about this lack of responsiveness and I can’t get any help in expediting repairs. I’ve spoken to 2 AHS supervisors (one of whom was quite rude to me) but they didn’t seem to be concerned either.
I must say, however, the customer service ladies who deal with clients are very polite and genuinely seem to want to help. Unfortunately, at least in my case, nothing they have done has expedited the repair.
Afew times before when i had called they were fine, but this last time, NO WAY. My tenant called to report a bathroom light that wouldn’t turn off, so wanted it fixed. I have owned the house for 5+ years and not any real problems. AHS sent an electrician out promptly who said it was a case of faulty wiring and therefore pre-existing so would not cover it, although he was stumped as to why he couldn’t get it to go off. AHS said i could pay for a 2nd opinion, which i agreed to. the tenants call me 3 weeks later to say that they have called the new electrical co. 2-3 times and no one ever returned their call. AHS claims that the 48 hours has elapsed after the time to get a 2nd opinion , which they never told me about, so i am left holding the bag. I cancellled my policy with them.